\nOne sleepy morning many years ago I sauntered into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and after a blast of wake-the-heck-up cold air, I saw a jar of sourdough starter I put in the day before. Due to life circumstances, I couldn\u2019t bake with it, and in an attempt to always avoid waste, I put it in the fridge. Well, at that moment, it dawned on me that keeping a jar of discard in the fridge at all times might actually be a good idea\u2014a sourdough starter cache to draw from when I needed it.
\nMind you, I\u2019m not a fan of using sourdough starter straight from the fridge. It\u2019s far too cold, making it a hostile environment for the bacteria and yeasts inhabiting a culture. Over the years, I\u2019ve tried keeping my starter in the fridge and using it for baking an easy, standard sourdough loaf that day, but the resulting bread didn\u2019t compare to a well-fed and maintained starter with all its room temperature-vigor.
\nBut for those days when you\u2019re not baking long-fermented bread or pastry, sourdough starter discard from the fridge cache is perfect. You get all the flavor created through long fermentation, the convenience of having it ready in the fridge, and you avoid wasting sourdough starter to boot. Such a starter-stockpile will stay the most fresh for about two weeks, and it\u2019s the perfect place to draw from for sourdough starter discard cookies, scones, a tart lemon loaf, or pie crust.
\nReal quick, why is a sourdough starter discard cache useful?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a quick place to turn for starter discard, always at the ready
\nIt helps avoid waste by saving starter that would normally be thrown away
\nDiscard has lots of flavor, might as well put it to good use
\nIt\u2019s easy!<\/p>\n
Starter cache with new discard added and ready for the refrigerator.
\nWhat is a Sourdough Starter Discard Cache?
\nI call this a \u201csourdough starter cache\u201d as a tongue-in-cheek reference to my software engineering days. In computer science, a cache stores data that can later be quickly accessed from the fast cache instead of slower hardware memory. I see a sourdough starter cache as exactly that: Keep a jar of accumulated discard in the fridge and pull from it when you need quick access to a flavor boost in whatever you\u2019re baking.
\nBut also, the cache serves as a means for reducing waste. Sourdough starter discard that might have otherwise gone into the compost or trash goes into the cache, instead.
\nHow Soon After Creating My Starter Can I Make a Discard Cache?
\nIf you\u2019ve just created your sourdough starter, wait until it\u2019s reliably rising and falling each day with signs of fermentation\u2014some rise, bubbles, a progressive sour aroma\u2014before storing discard in your cache. Consistent signs of fermentation each day signal that your starter has a stable mix of good bacteria and yeasts.<\/p>\n
How to Keep Sourdough Starter Discard in the Fridge
\nStarting with a clean jar, put a piece of tape on the side and write the date two weeks into the future (officially the \u201cexpiration date\u201d; see explanation below). Then, every day you feed your starter, instead of putting the discard in the compost, add it to the jar, place the lid on top, and put it back into the fridge. Weigh out some discard from this jar whenever you need to use some in a sourdough starter discard recipe and put the covered jar back into the fridge.<\/p>\n
Sourdough starter after 2 weeks in the fridge. You can start to see the mixture separating.
\nHow Long Can I Keep Sourdough Starter Discard?
\nGenerally, I keep my sourdough discard cache for up to 2 weeks. Theoretically, you could keep it for far longer, even up to a month, but I\u2019ve found that after this time, the mixture starts to separate, get overly acidic, and the jar sometimes gets a little funky overall.
\nAfter 2 weeks, try to use all the discard in the jar. If any is left, scrape it into your compost bin, clean the jar, and prepare it again for a new cycle.
\nCan I Use Sourdough Starter Discard to Make Bread?
\nI don\u2019t recommend using starter discard from the fridge to make sourdough bread. Why? The discard could be sitting in the fridge for several days, up to 2 weeks, which is far too long without feeding in an environment that\u2019s too cold. The mixture is likely overly acidic and won\u2019t be properly balanced\u2014in terms of bacteria and yeast populations\u2014for leavening dough.
\n3\/4 liter Weck jars, my favorite vessel for my sourdough starter and sourdough starter discard.
\nMy Favorite Container to Hold Sourdough Starter Discard
\nJust like with my sourdough starter, my favorite container to keep starter discard in the fridge is a 3\/4 liter glass Weck jar. I like that these jars are glass (acidic stuff in plastic is a turn-off for me) and very strong. Plus, I use them for just about anything in my kitchen anyway.
\nSee more about why I love Weck jars and why they\u2019re perfect for your starter and discard \u2192
\nSee How I Feed My Sourdough Starter
\nIn the video below, you\u2019ll see how I feed my sourdough starter and how the discard can be collected and saved in your starter cache.<\/p>\n
Use Your Starter Cache: Sourdough Starter Discard Recipes
\nThe following recipes are the perfect place to pull from your sourdough starter discard cache and use it straightaway.<\/p>\n
Sourdough Starter Discard Cache FAQs<\/p>\n
Can I keep sourdough starter discard in the fridge?<\/p>\n
Yes! Using a sourdough starter cache, as I like to call it, is a way to store starter discard through the week or two and use it in recipes when convenient.<\/p>\n
Can I keep my sourdough starter discard at room temperature?<\/p>\n
The longer the sourdough starter discard sits at room temperature, the more acidic it becomes until the mixture becomes inhospitable for microbes to function. At warm room temperature, this happens quickly compared to the cooler temperatures inside the refrigerator. I would say after 3 to 4 days, it would become overly acidic, begin to separate, and have a pungent nail polish-like aroma. Too much of a good thing.<\/p>\n
What if I think I see mold on my starter discard cache?<\/p>\n
If you see white fuzzy, pink, or green in your starter discard cache, you\u2019ve kept it too long (be sure to write an expiration date on the jar!). I would throw out the entire cache and create a new one. Thankfully, this isn\u2019t your main sourdough starter and simply just a collection of discard\u2014no harm done.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s Next?
\nSee our guide to sourdough starters to learn everything you need to know about creating, maintaining, and using your sourdough starter in your baking.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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